As the Semester Ends, My Advice for Future Interns
Again, my name is Patrick and I am the home merchandising intern at Anthropologie’s home office! I cannot believe that I have
been with the company for thirteen weeks, and that my last semester at Temple University is coming to an end. I wanted to take this chance to speak to my own learnings and give some tips of the trade to future interns, who might not know what to expect.
- Always say yes. It might sound silly and a little ridiculous, but saying yes to every request (obviously within practical and normal reason) shows an eagerness and commitment to your role. It also shows a sense of gratitude—you do not want to seem too good to do anything, and all too often interns have an entitled attitude.
- Always be positive. Again, this might sound like information you might already know, but being positive and always having a smile on your face will differentiate you from the crowd of others (particularly those who wear their emotions on their sleeves and get easily annoyed by tedious tasks or menial errands). As an intern, you are there to help, so do so with a kick in your step and a smile on your face!
- Always be professional. Particularly when there are other interns or newly graduated entry-level employees, you definitely want to make sure you are coming off professional and appropriate for the work environment. Keep your conversations neutral and do not EVER talk about how you got “soooo wasted this weekend” at the copying machine—a girl in my office found that out the hard way.
- Always be on time. Self explanatory. It just comes off rude and people really get annoyed at it.
- Always pay attention. Keep your phone in your bag, even if everyone else has his or her phone in every meeting, ever. They are hired full-time, and potentially need it for e-mails, so save the texting for your lunch break and keep your phone in your purse or backpack.
- Always ask questions. You are interning to learn about different businesses and trades—so ask as many questions as you can, and absorb as much information as possible! Doing so shows an eagerness and most of your co-workers will be happy to answer them and to help you out (and if you ever get scared or apprehensive, just remember, they have all been interns at some point in their lives).
These are just a few of my tips that I have come up with over the past few internships I have had, but have definitely helped me excel as an intern and student. As for me, I was hired full-time at Anthropologie, and will continue to work for the company after graduation! I am so lucky to have found such a wonderful company and team to work for and could not have asked for more out of this experience.
Good luck, everyone!
